Atomiser holders



June 25, 1963 M. TURATTI ATOMISER HOLDERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed MaLrch 8, 1961 INVENTUR. M41721 Turn. #1

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June 25, 1963 M. TURATTI 3,095,105

ATOMISER HOLDERS Filed March 8. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Mr/o 74mm United States Patent 3,695,105 ATOMISER HOLDERS Mario Turatti, Vials Coni Zugna 29, Milan, Italy Filed Mar. 8, 1951, Ser. No. 94,236 Claims priority, application Italy Mar. 23, 1360 Claims. (Cl. 215-100) The invention concerns an adjustable atomiser holder for use with scents and similar substances. There are so-called universal atomisers suitable for numerous containers. These atomisers fit bottles having different shaped necks due to an elastic sleeve which can be easily adjusted to the neck of a bottle containing the liquid to be sprayed.

However, these atornisers have a short life because the elastic sleeve loses its elastic properties when in contact with the liquid which may chemically attack the sleeve and are not suitable for a large range of bottle neck diameters.

Consequently, the object of the invention is to minimise the aforesaid defects, by offering a universal atomiser holder which is mainly made of metal and can be adjusted for a wider range of containers. The improved atomizer holder comprises a cap having several radial slots; a resilient metallic hand one of whose ends is fitted so as to slide along the path of one of the aforementioned slots, while the other end is provided with means which allow of adjustably fixing the position thereof a number of L- shaped branches or arms sliding in the slots, each having a vertical arm portion with a U-shaped free end, so as to engage the lower edge of the aforesaid resilient band, while guide devices allow of a transverse movement of said branches along the slots; a closing cover being fitted to the cap; and an atomising spray device passing through the centre of the closing cover and cap.

The aforesaid features and still others are more clearly shown in the following description of a preferred form illustrated in the attached drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an atomiser holder according to the invention assembled with a bottle and joined to a known type of atomising spray;

FIGS. 2 and 3 show an axial section of the universal atomiser holder in respectively, maximal contraction (FIG. 2) and maximal dilation (FIG. 3), some parts being shown in FIG. 2 in an exploded view in order to give a clearer idea of this embodiment;

FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded view of the several parts of the atomiser holder according to this invention; and

FIG. 5 shows a reduced scale plan View of the resilient band.

The atomiser holder, according to the invention, comprises an internal cap 19 (FIG. 4), fitted with four radial slots, 19a, 19b, 19c, and 19d, along which four L-shaped tightening branches or arms 10, 11, 12 and 13 is mounted, each branch presenting a vertical arm portion as shown at a, 11a, 12a and 13a, and a fork-shaped horizontal arm portion as indicated at 1%, 11b, 12b and 13b. As is clearly shown in FIG. 4, the vertical arm portions 10a, 11a, 12a and 13a are adapted to extend downwardly through the slots 19a, 19b, 19c and 19d, respectively, and have ribs 9 thereon. The free end ltiaa, llaa, 12m and 1311a, respectively, of each vertical arm portion is U-shaped, guiding means being provided to allow of only radial sliding of the branches so as to avoid turning thereof.

These guiding means preferably comprise a centre block or pin 18 fixed to or integral with cap 19 and engaged with slight play by the horizontal fork-shaped arm portions 10b, 11b, 12b and 13b of said tightening branches, the fork shape being provided for embracing the block 18. The block presents a prismatic part 18a and a threaded part 18!). The invention includes a resilient metallic band $395,165 Patented June 25, 1963 17, whose lower edge 17a is held by the end portions 1041a, 11m, 1251a and 13aa. One longitudinal end 17b (FIG. 5) can be fitted so as to have only radial movement while provision is made for fixing the other end 170. In order to allow of only radial movement of end 1717, it has been found best to connect the latter to branch 12 and, to this end, two slots 17d and 17e have been provided through which the vertical arm portion 12a of this branch is passed (see FIG. 2).

End 17c is secured by means of a longitudinal slot 17g in the band and by means of a quadrilateral opening 171 at the free end 176 of the band, a threaded fixing pin 32 engaging slot 17g and passing through opening 17]. A flange 32a, together with a prismatic part 3217 of pin 32 prevents disengagement of pin 32 from slot 17g and also prevents the pin from rotating. A washer 30, engages the prismatic part of pin 32 while a threaded bush or nut 33 engages a threaded portion 320 (FIG. 4) of pin 32 to secure the parts in place.

21 is a cover having a prismatic opening 21a through which the prismatic part 18a of block 13 passes, thus positioning cover 21 in respect of cap 19. A knurled bush or nut 25' can be screwed on a threaded part 18b of pin 13 and therefore, prevents axial displacement of cover 21. It is, however, pointed out that, in order to allow the arm portions 10b, 11b, 12b, 13b, to slide freely, there is slight play between the cover and the knurled bush 25 and this play is obviously obtained by means of a suitable size of the threaded part 18b of block 18. 23 shows in a general way, an atomizing spray of the known type and construction with a threaded stem 26, connected by friction to a plastic tube 50 (FIG. 3), dipping into container 16 (FIG. 1). The stem 26 passes through the centre of knurled bush 25 and block 18 (which is hollow) and is spring biased axially by a compression spring 51 with the aid of a threaded washer 52. Spring 51 is, therefore, located between washer 52 and cap 19'. By means of this assembly the atomizers spray can be freely rotated about its axis AB while it can be resiliently moved against the action of spring 51 in the direction of arrow FA, thus ensuring an easy operation.

The operation of atomizer holder is as follows: the branches or arms 10, 11, 12 and 13, fitted with ribs 9 are displaced radially so as to engage the neck of the container, following which the end of resilient band 17 is moved angularly until the required tightening is obtained. It will prove sufiicient to tighten up bush 33 firmly to lock the entire device.

Although the invention has been shown and described in connection with a preferred form, it is understood that the invention covers all such variations as may be possible for a technician in this particular field, to the exclusion of inventive contribution.

I claim:

1. An adjustable holder for attachment of an atomizer to a container neck, comprising, in combination, a cap formed with a plurality of radial slots angularly displaced from each other; a plurality of L-shaped arms having each a first arm portion extending substantially parallel to said cap at one side of the latter and a second arm portion extending substantially normal to said first arm portion through said slots, respectively, to the other side of said cap so that said arms may be moved in radial direction toward and away from each other to abut with the second arm portion thereof against the neck of a container; means on said cap in operative engagement with said first arm portions for guiding said arms for movement in radial direction; a flexible band extending about said second arm portions engaging the outer surfaces thereof; means on said second arm portions slidingly engaging said band for holding the same on said sec- 0nd arm portions; and adjustable clamping means operatively connected to said band for tightening said band about said second arm portions to press the latter in tight engagement With the neck of the container, whereby said holder is adapted to fit tightly on container necks of Widely differing diameters.

2. An adjustable holder for attachment of an atomizer to a container neck, comprising, in combination, a cap formed With a plurality of radial slots angularly disposed relative to each other; a plurality of arms each having a normally vertically disposed arm portion extending through one of said slots of said cap and being guided therein vfor movement in a radial direction so that said arm portions may be moved away from and toward each other and against said container neck, each of said normally vertically disposed arm portions having an upwardly open U-shaped lower end; a flexible band encompassing said arm portions and engaging the outer surfaces thereof with the ends of said band overlapping each other, said flexible band being slidably received in said U-s'haped ends of said arm portions for holding said band therein; and adjustable clamping means operatively connected to said hand for tightening said band about said arm portions to press the latter in tight engagement With said neck of the container, whereby said adjustable holder is adapted to fit tightly on container necks of Widely different diameters.

3. An adjustable holder as set forth in claim 2, wherein a cover is fitted over said cap.

4. An adjustable holder as set forth in claim 2, Wherein said flexible band has a slot extending longitudinally thereof and an opening therein adjacent one of its ends, said slot and said opening registering With each other when said band encompasses said arm portions with its ends overlapping each other, and wherein the clamping means comprises a threaded locking pin extending through said slot and said opening, and a nut on said threaded locking pin for holding said band firmly in place when tight.

5. An adjustable holder as set forth in claim 2, including a guide block on said cap, said arms having forkshaped portions engaging said block so as to guide said arms and prevent said arms from turning.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,886,199 Lipman May 12, 1959 2,950,834 Mazza Aug. 30, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 605,811 France Feb. 22 1926 

1. AN ADJUSTABLE HOLDER FOR ATTACHMENT OF AN ATOMIZER TO A CONTAINER NECK, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A CAP FORMED WITH A PLURALITY OF RADIAL SLOTS ANGULARLY DISPLACED FROM EACH OTHER; A PLURALITY OF L-SHAPED ARMS HAVING EACH A FIRST ARM PORTION EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID CAP AT ONE SIDE OF THE LATTER AND A SECOND ARM PORTION EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO SAID FIRST ARM PORTION THROUGH SAID SLOTS, RESPECTIVELY, TO THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID CAP SO THAT SAID ARMS MAY BE MOVED IN RADIAL DIRECTION TOWARD AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER TO ABUT WITH THE SECOND ARM PORTION THEREOF AGAINST THE NECK OF A CONTAINER; MEANS ON SAID CAP IN OPERATIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FIRST ARM PORTIONS FOR GUIDING SAID ARMS FOR MOVEMENT IN RADIAL DIRECTION; A FLEXIBLE BAND EXTENDING ABOUT SAID SECOND ARM PORTIONS ENGAGING THE OUTER SURFACES THEREOF; MEANS ON SAID SECOND ARM PORTIONS SLIDINGLY ENGAGING SAID BAND FOR HOLDING THE SAME ON SAID SECOND ARM PORTIONS; AND ADJUSTABLE CLAMPING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID BAND FOR TIGHTENING SAID BAND ABOUT SAID SECOND ARM PORTIONS TO PRESS THE LATTER IN TIGHT ENGAGEMENT WITH THE NECK OF THE CONTAINER, WHEREBY SAID HOLDER IS ADAPTED TO FIT TIGHTLY ON CONTAINER NECKS OF WIDELY DIFFERING DIAMETERS. 